


Kid

by Hissterically



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Force Awakens - Fandom, The Last Jedi
Genre: Baby Ben Solo, Kid - Freeform, One Shot Collection, Various Occasions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-27 04:00:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13872669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hissterically/pseuds/Hissterically
Summary: He’s had the nickname for as long as he can remember, but his emotions surrounding it have changed over the years. He’s grown to loathe it. A nickname that used to mean so much to him now only causes him pain.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole chapter is based off of that scene from Aftermath, so I took a lot of the dialogue from it. I did change a few things though

He’s had the nickname for as long as he can remember, but his emotions surrounding it have changed over the years. He’s grown to loathe it. A nickname that used to mean so much to him now only causes him pain.

 

The name was bequeathed to him by Han Solo.

 

The man whose heart he stuck his saber through.

 

His father.

 

Only three people were ever allowed to call him it; Han Solo, Skywalker, and Lando Calrissian. The latter just did it for the hell of it though, not necessarily with his permission. It was mostly just to annoy Han. And it worked.

 

He can only vividly remember a handful of occasions they called him it. All the other times blur together, but there are those few instances that stick out in his memory. Moments that his mind won’t let him forget, no matter how hard he’s tried to.

 

That damn name, and the people saying it are burned into his brain.

 

 _Kid_.

 

He hates the name.

 

———

 

Han Solo is holding his baby boy, not being able to believe that he’s actually a father. He, Han Solo, famous smuggler, is a father. No one would believe it, much less himself.

 

But he can’t imagine anything else now. This little thing in his arms, his son, is his whole life.

 

And he’s finding out that he doesn’t mind so much.

 

He loves his son with his entire heart. So much that he would give his life just to make his son happy. It’s a scary thought. Being so willing to die for someone else. But he would. He’s never loved anything so much in his whole life.

 

When Leia was pregnant his every instinct was to run. They weren’t ready for parenthood. They’d barely just married. But it was happening. He’s never been so scared.

 

And now, looking at the tiny baby, his instincts still tell him to run, but he can’t. He doesn’t want to.

 

Han looks down at the wriggling child, at Ben’s dark mane of hair and brown eyes, both inherited from Leia. The boy never can seem to stay still, always curious about something. A ball of energy.

 

“Hey,” Han says aloud, speaking softly while bouncing Ben awkwardly in his arms. “It’s you and me, Kid. Whole damn galaxy against us but we’ll make it through okay. I’m not always gonna be the best dad— c’mon, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing here. I can barely take care of myself.”

 

He holds out his finger and Ben wraps his tiny fist around it in a strong grip.

 

“But I’ll always keep us pointed in the right direction… even if we zig and zag a little to get there.”

 

Han gets a small little smirk on his face. “There’s your first lesson: Sometimes doing the right thing doesn’t mean following a straight path. Sometimes you gotta—” He waves his hand around jerkily, waving it up and down and side to side.

 

He laughs to himself before putting on a half serious face. “Don’t tell your mother I said that.”

 

Ben looks up into his father’s eyes as if to show that he understands everything Han just told him. Like he knows his father’s arms is a safe place. Ben almost gives Han a slight smile before breaking out into a screaming cry.

 

Han desperately tries to calm him down, bouncing him a little too fast in his arms. He reaches out and grabs the tooka doll that Lando sent as a gift, holding it above Ben’s face.

 

He wiggles it around jerkily, trying to get Ben to stop crying. “Here. Look. The cat is, ahh. The cat is dancing? Dancing tooka. Come on, Kid, you gotta give me something here.”

 

Han hears the door open and turns to look. There’s Leia, wrapped in a towel, clean from the fresher, shaking her head at her husband.

 

“He won’t stop crying.”

 

She smiles and walks over to the pair. “Babies cry, Han. It’s alright. Just hold him close and rock him.”

 

Han looks awkward for a moment. “What if he never stops crying? What if he doesn’t like me? Here, you take him.”

 

Leia rolls her eyes. “I’m not taking him, Han. You’re his father. Of course he likes you.”

 

She gently moves his arms tighter around the crying child, making Han bring Ben closer to his chest. She motions for Han to softly rock his son. Within a few seconds, the cries begin to cease.

 

Han looks at Leia, trying to repress his shock that he was able to quiet the child. Leia just smiles at her boys before kissing them both of the cheeks.

 

As she leaves the room, Han looks back down at the child sleeping in his arms.

 

His son. Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kylosroboarm on tumblr


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought this chapter was pretty fitting since there's been all that baby Ben info with Lando because the Han Solo book is coming out soon.

Lando rarely came around, but when he did it was always great fun. His parents would always stop fighting, almost like they were trying their hardest to be civil in front of company. Plus his father was always less stiff and awkward around him when they had Lando as a buffer.

 

It’s not that the Solo boys didn’t get along, it’s just that Han has always been slightly awkward around Ben. Never fully getting comfortable with having a Force sensitive as a child.

 

Every time Lando comes over, the men without a doubt end up playing a few rounds of sabacc, as if for old time’s sake. But after a few whiskies, it always gets out of hand and Han and Lando always end up actually gambling something away. One time, Han almost bet Ben before Leia stepped in to intervene.

 

In addition to gambling, they’ve been teaching Ben the ins and outs of the game along with Chewie’s help. They also show him different ways to cheat without getting caught, much to Leia’s disapproval.

 

Over the years, Ben’s gotten almost good enough to beat his father.

 

Just almost.

 

Currently the four of them are gathered around the table, fully concentrating on each of their hands; Ben finally being old enough to participate without help from the older men.

 

Ben’s eyes dart from the three men in front of him down to his own cards. He’s trying so hard not to give away his hand from his easily read facial expressions. He sees his father’s eyes narrow on him, trying to figure out what his son is thinking, so he darts his attention to the cards already laid out on the board.

 

It’s about to be the last round of betting and Ben’s got a 2, a 3, and an 8 in his deck. Currently not the best hand, but he’s working towards something better. He has a plan. He’s planning to beat his father today.

 

Trying to be as stoic as possible, he places his 2 and 3 face down on the table, locking their values in.

 

They’ve all placed their bets for the last round when Ben starts to feel the slight tremor through the Force. The cards are about to shift. He calmly focuses all his energy on the table in front of him.

 

Ben concentrates on the card in his hand whose value is shifting before his eyes. He stares at it as the numbers change on the card; 1, 7, 9, 4. None of the numbers he needs. He feels that the shift is coming to an end when he sees it pop up on his card; the card that he needs.

 

With all his concentration, Ben lays one of his hands on the table, trying to act casual. He lets the Force flow through him into the table top, causing the computer that’s creating the shift to come to a halt.

 

Now all the cards still in the players hands have changed value, the computer randomizing the cards every round.

 

Sure it’s cheating to be able to stop the computer when he has the card he needs, but Ben is certain that his father and Lando have something up their sleeves as well. It’s more of who has the better cheating technique at this point.

 

The question is, can the others compete with the Force.

 

One by one the men show their cards.

 

Chewie’s first with a bombed out hand. Immediately the Wookiee jumps out of his seat yelling about how he was robbed. Ben giggles at his honorary uncle's highly dramatic overreaction to losing.

 

Next Lando places down his hand, his cards adding up to 22.

 

“Not bad,” taunts Han. “I wonder how I’m ever going to beat that.”

 

Lando just rolls his eyes. “Just lay down your cards, Solo.”

 

Han gives a smirk towards his son before laying down his cards. A pure sabacc, adding to 23.

 

“Beat that, Kid,” he says, staring down Ben with a smirk upon his face.

 

Ben stares right back at his father as he lays his card down; the Idiot. His other two cards are flipped up on the table. Ben gives Han a small smirk back. The cards are laid for everyone to see; the Idiot, a 2, and a 3.

 

“An Idiot’s Array.” Lando states almost amazed, breaking up the stare down between the Solo boys. “Would you look at that, the kid beat ya.”

 

“The kid beat ya!” Lando stands up, hoisting Ben out of his seat into the air. “How does it feel to beat your old pops, Kid?”

 

Ben just laughs at his uncle. “Put me down, Uncle Lando!”

 

“Never! You’re a champion now, Kid. Your feet shall never touch the floor again.”

 

Ben laughs even harder at the man holding him in the air.

 

“That’s not possible.”

 

They both turn to see Han staring down at the cards on the table in confusion.

 

“Han, you lost. Move on. It’s just a game.”

 

“No. This isn’t possible. There’s no way I could’ve lost.” Han still hasn’t looked up form the table, his eyes darting between his son’s cards and his own.

 

Lando rolls his eyes, finally setting Ben back down on the floor. “And why not?”

 

“Because I was cheating.”

 

“Of course you were cheating. We all were,” Lando chuckles.

 

Han gets up from the table and kneels down close to Ben. He puts both hands on his shoulders, staring him in the eye with a knowing look. “How’d you do it?”

 

Ben just turns to the table and places a hand on it, focusing all of his energy into the computer again. Han watches as all of the cards start to flash as their values change on the table.

 

“Oh you little bugger.” Han chokes out a small chuckle, shaking his head at his son.

 

He takes a hand off Ben’s shoulder and holds it out to him. Ben tentatively reaches out and grabs it. Han gives his hand a firm shake, “Good game.”

 

Han gives a wink and Ben’s face splits into a proud grin. His father complimented him for outsmarting him. Well, more outcheating him.

 

Chewie catches him by surprise by hoisting him up onto his shoulders, causing Ben to scream in laughter.

 

No sooner does the laugh escape his mouth when Leia walks in the room, her hands on her waist, a stern expression on her face. “Now it’s time for bed.”

 

“Aww, but we’re not tired.” Han smirks over at his wife.

 

“Not you, Han.” She rolls her eyes and turns her head to her son atop of the Wookiee’s shoulders. “Ben, bedtime, now.”

 

Ben starts to protest, “But Ma…”

 

“No. Fun’s over. It’s late.” She gives him a stern expression that he knows not to talk back to. “Now say goodnight and march up the stairs.”

 

Ben pouts slightly as Chewie places him softly down on the ground. He turns around and hugs the Wookiee’s leg. “Night, Uncle Chewie.” The Wookiee roars back quietly, hugging the boy a little too tightly.

 

He then moves on to Lando, giving the man a hug. “Night, Uncle Lando.”

 

Lando leans down slight, patting Ben’s back. “Night, Kid.” He leans down a little further, whispering in his ear. “And good job beating your old man.” Ben giggles slightly before moving onto his father.

 

Han lifts Ben up in his arms tightly, kissing his cheek. “Proud of ya, Kid. Though a little sad this day came so soon.”

 

Ben giggles and hugs his father around the neck, “Night, Dad.”

 

“Now hurry to bed before your mother smacks me.” Han smirks over at his wife and places Ben on the ground and pushes him gently towards Leia whose waiting by the doorway with her arms crossed. She rolls her eyes at the grown man child she married before looking softly down at Ben. She holds her hand out to her son.

 

“Come on, Sweetheart.”

 

Ben grabs his mother’s hand and looks back at Han one more time. Han gives him a proud wink. Ben grins before walking out of the room with his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kylosroboarm on tumblr


	3. Chapter 3

His parents were fighting again. 

 

Loudly. 

 

Ben finds himself sitting at the bottom of the stairs, down the hallway from the living room where his parents are currently arguing. He was sent to bed hours ago, but the yelling is impossible to sleep through no matter how quiet his parents think they’re being.

 

His mother usually has Threepio patrolling the halls at night to catch him out of bed, but little does his mother know that he’s been turning the droid off for years. He doesn’t even need to touch the droid to do it. 

 

That’s the whole reason for their fight anyway, the reason for a _majority_ of their fights; his force powers. The most recent incident in particular.

 

“This has gotten out of hand, Leia… The kid has too much of your father in him,” he overhears his father say to his mother. 

 

Ben doesn’t understand what his father means. Why wouldn’t he want to be like his Grandfather Anakin? The Clone Wars hero. The great, powerful Jedi Uncle Luke always talks about. 

 

Why is having too much of him inside himself so bad? 

 

“There’s nothing wrong with him,” his mother retorts fiercely, defending him from his father. 

 

“Nothing wrong with him? The kid broke another child’s arm today, Leia.”

 

He can just picture his father’s face. Wide eyes, looking at his mother like she’s out of her mind. 

 

“He just needs help to control it. That’s all.”

 

Ben looks down at his hands on his knees. The very hands he used to accidentally break that branch of that tree. The branch that was flung into Carth Arkada’s arm, almost shattering his bone.

 

Well maybe not on accident.

 

“Maybe it’s time to contact Luke…” 

 

He doesn’t like his mother’s tone. There’s a sadness to it, like she’s admitted defeat. His mother isn’t allowed to do that. She’s always been so strong. Always in control. She can’t give up. 

 

Give up on him. 

 

But it seems she is. Just like the voice told him she would. 

 

Trying to hide his pain and hurt, Ben stands up and begins to walk back up the stairs till a voice causes him to freeze in place.

 

“You’re supposed to be in bed, Kid.”

 

It seems his parents’ fight is over or his father got fed up and walked away. Either way, he was now caught out of bed in the middle of the night, spying on them.

 

Ben slowly turns around to face a stern looking Han Solo, his face looking completely guilty. He never could keep his emotions off his face. Anyone could know his thoughts just by his expression. 

 

“Walk,” his father stoutly demands, his finger pointing up the stairs.

 

He looks down at his feet and trudges up the stairs, hearing his father following behind him. 

 

Ben hears his father sigh as they pass Threepio, Han noticing the protocol droid has been shut off. If he didn’t know any better, he swears he heard his father chuckle softly. It’s no secret that Han Solo has never been super fond of the droid. 

 

Once Ben reaches his room, he goes and sits down on his bed, staring down at his thighs. 

 

There’s a moment of awkward silence between the two Solo boys, neither of them used to Han disciplining Ben. That’s always been Leia’s area of expertise. 

 

Han looks around his son’s room while Ben continues to stare at his lap. There’s a multitude of drawings taped up on the walls and scatterings of writings along the desk. Leia’s told him of Ben’s love of handwriting. His son certainly is different from any other child, and that has nothing to do with his Force powers. 

 

“What’s gunna happen now?” Ben finally whispers, breaking the tension between the two. 

 

Han looks at his son, sighing and running his hand through his hair. 

 

“I don’t know, Kid. I honestly don’t know.”

 

Ben slowly looks up at his father, a fear deep in his eyes. “Is she really going to send me away?”

 

He can see the hesitation in Han’s eyes before he answers. He watches as his father has an internal battle to tell him the truth or not. They both know his mother will contact Luke despite anything they say.

 

Han gets closer to Ben and kneels down in front of him, looking him in the eye. 

 

“I will try my hardest to change her mind.”

 

They both know that’s impossible. When Leia sets her mind to something, nothing will change her mind, especially when it comes to her son. But to Ben, it only matters that his father cares enough to try. 

 

“You promise?” Ben mumbles. 

 

Han gives that signature smirk, “I swear on the Falcon.”

 

Ben rolls his eyes, but his father succeeds in bringing a small smile to Ben’s face. He knows that his father loves that ship almost more than anything. The only things he loves more are Leia and Ben, though sometimes it doesn't feel like it.

 

Han stands up and ruffles Ben’s hair playfully, causing Ben to shake the hand off his head. 

 

“Now back to bed, Kid, or your mother will kill me.”

 

Ben nods and climbs under the covers, pulling them up to his chin. Han moves to leave the room. He pauses when he gets to the door.

 

“Night, Kid.”

 

“Night, Dad.”

 

Han nods and shoots Ben one more smirk before shutting the door behind him, sending Ben back into complete darkness. 

 

The dark is when the voice returns.

 

The voice likes the darkness. _Thrives_ off the darkness. 

 

Ben finds himself beginning to like the darkness too.


End file.
